Can-filling machine.



VJ, J', PHELPS.

APMIGATIQ'N FILED JUNEw, 191i.

FILLING MACHINE.

0a 111. Od

T 11E com as mi T d,. em

nu t a .Di

W. J. PHBLPS.

CAN FILLING MACHINE.

. APPLICATION FILED www, 1911. 1,058,693, Patente@ Apr. s, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHBET 2.

W. J. PHELPS.

GAN FILLING MA1 APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19, 1911 Tdi @mwa/Leones W. J. PHBLPS. l

GAN HLLXNC- MACHINE.

APPLGATON-JLED JUNB19, 1911.

1,658,093.. Y Patented Apr.8,1913.

@SHEETS-SHEET 4.

@Houtman tra i lltlilnltl; Cirrus riolilln WALTER J. PHELPS, OF BALTIMDRE, MARYLAND, .SSIGNOB GF GNEJHALF TO FRANK GEBBE, 0F RCCHESTER, NEW' YORK.

CAN-ELLING MACHINE.

Specification er Letters latent` Application le June 19, 1911.

Serial lo. 634,@51.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, lVALTnn J. PHELPS, a citizen ot the United States, residing at Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented a new and uselul Can-Filling lilachine, of which .the `following` is a specification.

This inyention'has reference to improvements in can tilling machines, and is uesigned more particularly for lling cans with milk, especially that torni ot milk known as evaporated milk, and its object is to provide a machine wherein the cans may be expeditiously illed without causing` foaming or' t-h'e milk.

1`/Vhile the machine oi the present invention is in sonic or all of its parts adapted for the filling of receptacles with other Suhstances than evaporated milk, it is especially adapted for the filling of cans with evaporated milk and, without limiting the invention in its use to such substance, it will be considered in the following description that evaporated milk is the substance used to lill the cans. and it will he designated simply as milla.

The cans employed for holding` the milk are ot different sizes, und hy properly arranging the machine it may he readily adapted to the filling` ot the commercial sizes ot' cans without material change in structure. The cans usually employed are made of metal and cylindrical in forni and are finished with both heads in ilace7 one head being wholly imperorate and the other head provided with a single small central perforation through which the niillt is filled into the can and the air within the can is allowedv to esclude. The reason for employing a single small perforation is to facilitate the final sealing oli the can, which is performed hy the application or" a small drop ot solder hernietically closing the small perforation. The smaller the perforation the more readily is the sealing performed and the less the liability of any of the solder finding its way into the interior of the can a loose drop. It, therefore, liecomes necessary that the flow of milk into the can should he in the form or a tine stream, but if it is attempted to torce such tlow ot' milk toamine ensues. and either the 7 C f can is not filled as full as it should be, or a V, n .q quant-ity of theffoarnmg nnllt is Iorced to the outside 'of the can, smearing the top of the can and inte tering materially with the soldering operation. Because 'of 4this liability of theiniilli'v to foam, the illing of the cans through a small orifice is neces# sarlly quite slow7 thus requiring a bulky machine carryinq many cans at one time in order that tlierime ot illing ina-y he sufficiently prolonged to avoid toaniino, and at the saine time' the output of the machine in illed cans he as large as an operator can handled;

TWith the present invention the filling orifice in the can may he made materially smaller than heretofore and the speed or' filling mak he increased without danger or" teaming, so that the output of a comparatively small machine will he equal to or greater than theoutput ot a Very much more Milky machine where the filling is per-- formed in manner which if accelerated hey-nini a certain limitwill produce foaming i f1 milly ie prec invention the cans are filled while in the yerted position, that is, the head containing the filling orifice is downward and the inillt flows up into the can.

exhausted hy means of a conduit introduced into the can and extending` close to the impertorate head, which during the filling operation is uppermost. a suitable snction apparatus any desired degree of vVacutending to cause the air within the can to l'iow tlnrouggh the smallconduit opening near the then upper end of the can, while the milt he caused to flow Simply by the exertion ot atmospheric pressure thereon into the can through the slnall central orilice, the air exhaust tube beingl sutiiciently smaller in exten-ril diameter than the oritice through which -it'I extends to admit or" the in'low of .milk with the required rapidity. lis soon as that head ot the can which in the lilling operation is lowerinost has hecoi'ue covered with the intlowing milk, the inlet for the niillr becomes covered by the milk already within the can, so that the incoming stream ot' milkI at once coalesces with the inillr already in the can. and its speed as soon as it enters the can is greatly reduced hy spreading toward the sides of the can, sc that while the speed, of the stream of milk entering through the 'small the air within the can being' Withdrawn or.

um or sub-atmospheric pressure ,is producedv central orluee may be compareiively great,

euch epeerl rerluces so rapidly' as soon-,ae 'llie ireaui eniere ihe can that foar-nihg ehtirely obviaiech even though the speed of the stream on Venterinzgr be 'far iu excess of the apeecl which iu other methods of can iillihg through small orifices will ineviizably produce foaming.

1 The present imfeutiou ru one of iis prac'l'i 'cal foams coulemplutes arotahable ruillr ree errori, carrying ceu uppors having milk ecuflruie leerling? ih'ereio Mlrfuu ihe unile". ree-v ervoir, 'auch also, air ducts terminating 1u i i, iiue air tubes which may be suoetaniially fcoucerrtrml with the discharge eoliet oi me mill: clucte et alle een supporie and extend beyond euch can supporte in a eubeiaoiially upright rlireclion for euch Clisi/alicev lhab aiA their upper omis iheeefsmall ubee are Withltherefrom and placeou iu ashors clislianee 'o'lthe upper enfle oil the cans when in placeupon the can Supports. `The air tubes all lead to e common chamber,

which in turn provided u'iih mearis for coupling it io an air eahuus't. apparatus of any appropriate,.charuoier7 eo l; i lhe rle sirerl degree oi sub-atmospheric .pressure is marini;ainerl.l 'Ehe-arrangement is Such, iiliai;

au operator may at. a cerrain poirii', in the' roiution oii the machine remove lill-eel eeuu y I ty cans thereina there being provided clampingjvmeans 'or the ,cana'fo-r automaticallyholding bhe cans iu place euri guide Ineens whereby the operator' is enabled to accurately place u een to cause the' line air ube io enter the cau ihrough the small central orifice in. one heacl oif'thfe ceu.

While -the apparatus off, the preeeut invention is design-ed io fill oanseach of *vvluich1 has but u single 'small filling perforation or oriice at one enel, While 'elle other enel is imper'oraie, unil he earl is lilleel `when. iu the inverter?. position, and oleo au air tube ie employed projectiuglhrough the iilliug per- 'iiora'riou land of euch cliamc'er as to leave amplespuce for the iuiow oi milk. whereby 4the milk entere the can at roe boitorn orouuci .the air tube and. into ihe milk accumulating y ihe said oli-her application. l

iu the een, ihese features and ciber features disclosed hereinjare useful in cfmllinf.r machines of different construction, :from 'the machine of the present invei'rtion. Some le amples; of oher can lling machines are 'shown und deseribeol in my copei'uliug appli caiiori ior cau iiiling apparatus, lilerl lou eren rlniefherewith, and the invention in its;

broaA1 aepecs is hercin, eleiroecl, Where- E is suecep'rible of various; morlicatious and changes inthe precical embodiment thereof .euiting it for different cbnditionefwhile at the same time retaining the lia-lient Vfeatures oi' the invention, and it will be further uu- .rlersocd lilu/il; auyparte shown in bliebepeurling application aforesaid adapted to of like parts herein shown'.

ln the clrawiugs'Ew-Fimue l is an. elevation oie can filling machine embodying the preseui ifi'ivention, with some parte broken away, the vieu' being raken 'from the point where ihe operator sl-ands.v Fig-2 is a plan view, the air exhaust anal milk feed pipes being shown in @rose section. iilig. 3 is a, section on ihe line 3-3 of Fin". QH Fig.' e ie u perspective View ci one of the' can suir 'por-is and guides Adetached from ythe ruaehine away. Fig. 5. is a lougituinaleecbiou oi' .lhe cum entering end of the air concluil and adjacent parte showing onemeaus ci' con-- ueeiing the Small air. tube with ihelarger gorticn of the air tube.. 6 is' e longitudinal seciiou of the air exhaust conduit;

ing tothe .can'eupports Fig. 7' is u detail section of a uomliiecly form of presser or clamp memberfor holdirg the eens" in lace.

vReferring to the clravvings, there is e own a base 1 which may be taken as typical of' suitable base or support, and this base is shown as provided. 'with a rt eeuiirul 'pedestal i), bored to receive a o or su: i 9 'the function of 'which is co-gunman@ pedestal 2 through the intermediary of ani-ias ball bearings, although by no -meanevlimiterl 'to such arrangement. The hub is secured to the elem 3 by a suitable set screw 6, or more than one Set screw, if cle sirefl,' and is provided with e bevel gear l Shown as formed in one piece with the huh, but of course, it Will be undersioocl that this bevel gear may be separately formed,

is egaged by a bevel p'iniou` 8 on one end of a counter-shaft 9, mounlced in bearings 10 supported by legs ll which may rise from the floor or other support to which the base l is secured. @ne end of the shaft 9 is provided with'a pulley l2 for The application of power through a. bell The hub 4 is, provided with radiating arms 13 carrying at their outer. ends'a ring M serving as a support for an annular ree ervoir l5 of trough shape, that is, it is shown as provided' with inner and outer Walls parallel relation one 'to' the other with a bottom portieri resting ou theriug ioraefiiee a suitable @over may be. providerl ihe preeeut srueturejmay be used in placeand with the .air and milk conuuits broken friction bearings 5, shown in `the drawings as is'often the practice. The bevel gear 7v Where Aenieriag the common exhaust chainM u ber connected to the several air ducts leed# iu-v f I tralize a hub i resting ai; one end. ou the iio le: earl upper end open., although in for excluding dirt, but it is deemed unnecessary to show a cover in the drawings.

Fast to the outer wall of the reservoir at appropriate intervals are the lower ends of posts 16 which may be secured to the reservoir by riveting or otherwise, and each post has formed on or secured to it at an appropriate distance above the reservoir, an outstanding shelf or carrier 17, best shown in Fig. 4. The shelf at a point reniote from its post 16 is expanded into an approximately circular form, and is provided on what-constitutes the upper surface -when the machine is in operative position, with a circular recess 18, in which is seated l an annular gasket 19 of suitable material,

usually soft rubber, the diameter of thefgasket being such as to readily support a can 2O of a size such as is used for containing niilk. the recess 18 is provided with a passage traversed by one end of a pipe or tube 21, which is of a length to extend through a hole 22 in the appropriate post 16, and to near the bottom ofthe interior of the reservoir 15, preferably at the edge thereof adjacent the inner wall of the reservoir. The pipe or tube 2l extends partly through the gasket 19 and the latter may lit the corresponding end of the pipe or tube suliicienltlyv close to render the connection fluidv tight. That end of the pipe 21 which extends into the gasket is'entered by a small tube 23 whic may be soldered or otherwisesecured to the pipe 21, so as to be approximately concentric with the end of the pipe 21 through which the tube 23 extends. The can 2O is provided with a single central opening 24 in one head, the other head 25 being imperforate, and the can being closed and nished except for the perforation 24. lt is desirable that the perforation 24 be of comparatively small size to facilitate the final sealing of the can by means of a small drop of solderapplied to the head of the can at the perforation 24, and the smaller the perforation or opening 24 is, the less solder is necessary and the less there isany likelihood of any of the solder falling into the interior of the can. The -tube 23, therefore, is of small diameter, practice demonstrating thata tube one' thirty-second of an inch inside diameter is suliiciently large. Such a tube is quite frail, and, moreover, it is desirable that the length of such a minute tube be kept as short as practicable. For this reason the tube close to its point of entrance into the pipe 21 is formed with a head or flange 26, shown in Fig. 5, and to this flanged end ofthe tube 23 there is applied pipe 27 which may be of considerably larger diameter [than the tube 23, and

is connected to the-tube 23 by a coupling 28 shaped house the head 26, and in order that the joint may be substantially air tight,

The shelf 17 at a point central to housing 30 has connected thereto the corresponding ends of the pipe 27, which may include elbows and other connections suitable for the purpose, so that the pipes 27 are. carried under the ring 14 and thence upward through supports 33 fast on the outer wall of the reservoir, Wherefore the nds of the pipes 27 carrying the tubes 23 are supported in the proper direction to have the tubes23 pass through and be ina-de fastto the pipes 21, and, also, extend through the shelves 17 and gaskets 19 until the upper ends of t-he tubes 23 are each at an appropriate distance from the inner wall of the head 25 of a can 20 applied tothe gasket 19. The head 32 of the housing 30 is provided with a removablescrew plug 34, whereby the housing 30 may be opened for cleansing, and a drain cock is also provided Where it is desirable to drain oit' any liquids which may nd their way into the housing 3 0. The head 31 is formed with a central boss 36 to 95 which is applied apacking gland 37 coniiir ing packing 38 to the boss 3G, and through the gland and boss there extends one end of a pipe 39 formed with a flange 4() adapted to be housed by the gland 37 against the packing 38. rlhis pipe 39 is carried to an appropriate suction apparatus .shown schematically at. 39"t in Fig. 3 without, however, any limitation of the invention to any particular suction apparatus. lt is designed that the pipe 39 be held stationary While the housing 30 rotates with the rotatable portions of the machine, and, therefore, the end of the pipe 39 comnnniicating with the hous-` ing 30 is swiveled to the housing by n'ieans` of the packing gland on the head 31, so that the casing may rotate while the pipe 3f stands still, and at the same time an air tight joint be provided. lt is also of advantage to-have the cans 20 engage the gaskets 19 with lsulicient force to render the junction air tight, and while the exhaustion of air from'the cans will serve to establish such an air tight joint, it is best not to rely thereupon, but to cause the cans to be pressed against the gaskets 19 by mechanical pressure. This is provided by means of plunger or clamp heads 41 which maybe formed of a sutlicicntly elastic material, such as rubber, each head being carried on one i end of a stem 42, the other end of which extends through a guide bracket 43, and is then bent at an angle and there carries a roller 44. Each bracket 43 projects from 'the upper end of a respective post 16 which 130 nl fen inverted.

to eachiemfeploetfixiposition lo dellivee--the za meteriaLlgo' the'exeifior of the can a-Clje-oen; the smell pelfoietlonfeld an. air sucfion tube oifech eancerriecl'b 'end pefeipa'tf ingin'vthef i'oetive movement ofthe reeel voiv,'"s aid wir tube ezftending beyond the can ma engaging portion of the een s'pporl o enter e een through 'the smell perfolelion to s'uh'-, sta-ntially ,thellevel to which the can is to he' lled.' A In e mamme ferdilling cans tlnjoug'h e iemellfperforation 'in each een of e Size ko prevenlisgontaneous outflow of Iliqui'thefethrough7 'n 'roteehle reservoir for the malle riel'fhtob l riereion the" reservoir, each Gefrier ,having ineensfor-supporting a een in en invented position'with the smell-peefomtion down- Wardfe `oonlu'it leading from 'the Tesemfoii toe'agh een ysupport in position'o tlelivei-lhe.

.Materiel yto the Vexterior of libe' een" mij e'eeni y tube' for eawliiv cencariried by and pmieipm m' in the. rotative movement :of thefresel! yo1e,`seid air tube extending beyond 4':he can,

to he lled into the een Where adjacent the.

.l support for-'the ce1' 4J)V 3. na machine 'for .filling 'eens each Vieh e Single' small filling peffomtion at one enel, of a, size to prevent 'spontaneotls oui'low .of liquid therethrough, a seal; for l-h'e'pero-A rate'end 'of the een' for suppoling the een.

'+15 in an inverted position, damping 'ineens for i engaging the other end of the een for holcling it lo'the Seat',` and material concluding and eil exhausiing means associated with' the eeat'or support'for the een to exhaust en )erforetion vand to` conduct :the maieljiel te he filled into the .can to fthe perforated' end of the een.4

4.1 ln aine-Chine for flllingreanS-eaclo with a Smalljilling perforation et one lend offa' .size te p'reven spontaneo-'os ou'iiiow lof iiquifl therethrough, af'rqtatahle Ijeeervoiifor the lnfterial to be filled into 'the sans, e ei'eiiler series'o can. supports certfied by 'the @reser- 4voile, e can guide cari-Leal by eeeh Support, L

clamping meniher" each .supporti a .eon tleefling'flom elle tube leading- 'to each S'siipport'encl *du o5 the seme ancl'of `e,"length ndeize o were@ llecl into elle can, a series'o der# tube leading' lo en inveelsefl een ltliiough'jthe small p eifoel` 'Lion' to Substantially the level to" Whloh the t @3H isl to be illecl,A ineane forfoperetingf ehe clamps. to engage end eelease .the cane et predetermined points in 'the rotation', 015170 the series of ezine with -the reservoir i ln a. machine :Eoy'llmg eens eeohwlth e smell filling perforation at one end. of'e,

"size to vpreventv'eponlmirleo'us outflow of liq uid tlieelhi'ough-,` rotatehle eeselvoi oryg? the metel'ralte'befllietlfinte the eene, ej 1 l en'ciglar Series pf een ,Supper-iis' earned. hy'

lth'e iresem'foi, 'el 'een guide-carried by each,

supp om, demping nernhefx iol vihe eener. med ley/each suppone concimi: leaching imm gl the seme enel of 'e length 'engl 'sife tov enter1-'.

nuinvenled .een through the'emell "pejefonn tion"tofenbstentielly the level @o whifrhjthe @enfile to hefilled? enimeene orgoperel-ing the elempehe' engage and ieleese -lhe Teensf eff: pfeeifemiined points' in the mtetimi' o he eeriee of eens Wiehl-he reservoir, the in chinehe-ing prov'icleii'with an exhaust ehem 9g berk/ommen to ihe air lnhes and the ehember, ila/ving' an exheusepioe leuing Chene-` the' eeiziee of sans Wi-11h y'the reservoir, the

machine beingpiovidedjwifith en ejhaiglst chamber commente theeirltlihes engl. the chamber 'hellingen enheuetppe 'leading ivherefromeeid exhaust' hmnherfheing also :L15 neovied with meeneiior the Wishdmwel oi' liquid 'rherejom will.

7. An een illing machine ller filling lflqil inte eaneihrou-gh ,singlesmell il'ling' perfor-ation iii-fone end ofeach eenuof e Size 'lo pevent 4eponaimons Gubffio'w of liquid therethrogh, comprising' an annular reser.- Voir, e suppe* iol? said reeewoirgmeens forv rotating. .igpoicten ree'eifoii, e. eiieufv lai' eerieim eesuppogle .carried by'there'sim?v el'v'oii meh. l@appone` being pipeyideol `"Wih j aio member.onfeceiving e con in an .llef' Dosihion' with the. 'peifoeleelenel i downward; einen guide eemiecl, by each 'slip poet, n clamp fmlemhei'ffmq ezzeh een .eariel by the can support, a cam track for engaging the clamp members to move them into and out of engagement With the cans at predetermined points in the rotation of the rotatable parte of the machine, conduits' leading from the reservoir to the can supports and terminating .in position to deliver material to the filling perforation of the can exterior to the can, an exhaust chamber rotatable with the reservoir and provided with means for the exhaustion of air therefrom, and air conduits leading from the` exhaust chamber to the can supports, each conduit being there provided .with an extension of a diameter and length to enter a can through the small perforation therein and extend to substantially the level to which the can is to be filled, the diameter 'of the air conduit and the diameter of the perforation being so related as to leave room for the infie-W of material tothe can through the same perfora-tioiA 8. ln a machine for filling' liquid into cans, a rotatable reservoir for the liquid, can carriers each including elastic can Supports and fixed on and rotatable With the reservoir, means for direct-ing liquid from the reservoir through the can supports to cans thereon, an exhaust tube individual to cach can carrier and of a length and size to enter an inverted can on the can support through a small filling perforation in said '"can, and a centralized exhaust chamber communicating with all the exhaust tubes.

9. In a machine for filling liquid into cans, a rotatable reservoir for the liquid, can carriers each including elastic can supports and fixed on and rotatable With the reservoir, means for directing liquid from the reservoir through the can supports to cans thereon, an exhaust tube individual to eaeh can carrier and of a length and size to enter an inverted can on the can support through a small filling perforation in said can, and a centralized exhaust chamber communicating with all the exhaust tubes, said exhaust tubes and connections being freely' open from the end enteringr the canto the common exhaust chamber .10. ln a. machine for filling cans each through a small filling perforation in one end of a size to prevent spontaneous outflow of liquid theret rough when the can is inverted, a rotatable series of can carriers adapted to receive the cans in the inverted position with the filling perforation downward, ay filling conduit and an exhaust air tube -in normally fixed relation one to the other and to the respective can support, and means individual to each support for clampinge can thereto with the perforation of the inverted can in-air tight communication With the filling condui l1. In a machine for filling liquid in-` of cans each of which is provided With a single small filling perforation in one end of. a. siae to prevent spontaneousv outflow of liquid therethrough When Athe can is invertedy-a fiuid directing conduit and an exhaust air, tube for each can in normally fixed relation one to the other, the air tube being of a length and size to enter the can through the small filling perforation to a pointadjacent the imperforate end of the can, and means for permitting the movement of the can the lfull length of .the entrance of the air tube into the can into sealing relation to the liquid directing condui1 12.'In a machine for filling liquid into cans each of Which is provided With a single small filling perforation in one end of a size to prevent spontaneousk outflow of liquid therethrough When. the can is inverted, a fluid directing conduit and an exhaust air tube for each can in normally, fixed relation one to the other, the air tube'being of a length and size to enter the can through the small filling perforation to a point adjacent the imperforate end of the can, and means for permitting movement of the can the full length of the entrance of the air` tube into the can into sealing relation to the liquid directing conduit, the machine being also provided With a can positioning guide of a length equal to the length of movement of the can, and a clamping means for engaging the end of the can remote from that entered by the air tube, said clamping means having an extent of movement suiiicient to permit the stated move-ment of the can.

13. In a machine for filling liquid into cans each of which is provided with a single small filling perforation of a size to prevent spontaneous outflow of .liquid therethrough When the can is inverted, a series of can carriers7 a reservoir for liquid located at a lower level than t-he can carriers, conduits extend'- ing fromv the reservoir to and through each can carrier,l and exhaust air tubes one for each can carrier in normally fixed relation to the can carrier and liquid conduit, the, air tube having a terminal portion of a size and length to enter a can when placed on the carrier in the inverted position to a point f adjacent the imperforate end of the can,

14. ln a machine for filling cans each With a single smail filling perforation at one end, a relatively fixed 'support for the perforatedv end of thecan for receiving the latter in the inverted position and including elast-ic can engaging means for sealing the can about the perforation, means associated Wit-h the seat or support for the can for removing air from the can andA directing material to the small perforation through thefseat, and a clamping means for engaging theend of the can remote from the seat and movable intoand out of engagement with said can;y

l5. The combination with a can support, an air tube fixed to and extending through ies prtft one side-0f the ail' mbe mi when@ ngfrqm the Suppprtin Substantially parallm th@ sama direction and ca'ndampmg means www@ 17. The cmbiugii'on with a can Supprin.J

from 'in 'Une samefdyectinn zhe-antube and of a' length guide a can along the tube unjn engagement with ik@ support. .Y n fest-nnen' that slamr ihr-i, forefrom 5 D as my @wml ha?? x'elet@ ainxao Sigmar 3U WALTER Witnesses; j

v JQHN H., Salaam@ I, 

